Winds of change
by RGaijin
Summary: Olivier is summoned to Central and meets Mustang there. A battle of wits ensues.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story I'm working on with a friend...so half the credits go there *bows head in thanks* It's a little something to beat the boredom and it was fun to work on...we shall continue it and see where it leads. =)

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The early morning breeze of Briggs had an unusual chill that day. Olivier Mira Armstrong stood atop the roof of the fort, staring off into the distance. Taking in all the familiar surroundings that had brought peace to her troubled mind countless times. She had leave Briggs behind and head for Central later that morning.

It was going to be a bothersome trip. She could feel it in her gut. She hated meddling in the affairs of that part of Amestris, hated the way things were dealt with there, but it was something she could no longer avoid. Amestris needed to change and if she could somehow influence that transformation in any way, she was willing to give it a try. No matter how much it bothered her.

She had been summoned and would have to go no matter what. She exhaled deeply, and with a look stony determination, turned around and marched towards her fate.

Hours later, she stormed through the long corridor leading towards the Fuhrer's office, flanked on either side by her escorts from Central whom she thought spineless and weak. The whole of Central reeked of incompetence to her and she was afraid of catching the 'disease'. She frowned at the thought.

Central was buzzing with news of all the high ranking officers bring called in from all over. Roy Mustang had never been more grateful to be stationed in Central. The train ride from East was always rough.

Officers had been going in and out of the Fuhrer's office for the last week, receiving a series of newly instated evaluations. It more or less came down to whether or not they were satisfying their rank to the upper brass' requirements. Rumors of demotions were flying through Central, leaving Roy sweating until he'd gotten through his own evaluation. It hadn't been nearly as painful as the rumors had described, and he'd taken great pleasure in telling the newer recruits tales of an impromptu combat-style exam with the Fuhrer himself-which he'd passed with flying colors, of course.

Roy made his way to the Investigations unit, in the midst of a pointless mission for a better functioning hole-puncher for Warrant Officer Falman when he spotted her.

Eyes narrowed, he squinted down the hall after sweeping blond hair, face breaking into sly grin as he abruptly changed direction, following after her. She disappeared into the Fuhrer's office, and Roy glanced down at his watch. The evaluations barely took fifteen minutes.

He always had time to spare for the Major General, of course.

She wasn't looking forward to lay in store for her, but Olivier was never one to back away from a challenging situation. She had be the rumors of evaluations and the possible demotions of those who didn't pass. She wasn't worried though, certain she would breeze through whatever exam the Fuhrer threw at her.

A shrewd grin made it's way across her lips as she thought of the possibilities. She was ready for anything.

Just over fifteen minutes later, Roy, still leaning against the wall outside of the Fuhrer's office, heard the door open, creaking loudly, and saw a familiar blond step out. Raising a hand in greeting, he called out: "Major General, Sir! What an absolute coincidence that I should see you here." He made his way toward her, smirking. "You must be on the verge of melting, here."

Having completed the sword to sword spar in a record time of five minutes, Olivier replaced her sword within it's scabbard. _That was much too easy,_ she thought. She was a little disappointed she had not sparred with the Fuhrer himself. The only other human who _might_ have rivaled her own sword skills.

After getting through the mundane greetings and small talk with the other officials, with a quick salute to the Fuhrer she was out the door.

That's when she glimpsed it. The raven black hair and the the laid back figure of a certain cocky Colonel leaning against the wall. She was tempted to pretend she didn't notice and walk past, only to hear his voice speak to her.

A scowl crept up her face as she directed a disapproving gaze toward him and spoke with icy undertones, "I see your humor is as despicable as your attitude, Colonel. Didn't you scurry back to your hole yet?"

Roy graced her with his most charming of smiles, the sort that generally had women falling on his feet. With the Major General, it tended to have a more comedic effect.

"Hole? I've always found the North to be closer to that description, but to each his own." He glanced down at his watch. Noon.

"Well, I assume you've survived evaluations? Why don't I take you to lunch. My treat." When he didn't respond immediately, he added, "or I could just tell your brother that you're expecting him...?"

She recoiled at the disgusting smile he shone at her and knitted her brows, throwing daggers with her eyes and clenching her fist around the hilt of her sword. She was restraining herself from lashing out and wiping that smug grin off of his loathsome face.

"Hmph, survived is a understatement. Just try alerting my brother of my whereabouts and risk losing an arm, Mustang."

After a moment's pause a mischievous glint appeared in her eye, "Your treat? Well if you're okay with me bankrupting you out of every last penny you own than fine. I'll gladly accompany you."

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So what did you think so far? Leave a review and let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

"It's only the gentlemanly thing to do," Roy insisted. "Such a stunning example of _feminine beauty_," he grinned, "shouldn't be confined to the mess hall, after all."

Really, it was too easy with her. "Well, we'd better hurry," he said, walking off quickly to avoid the force of her rage. "Your brother could be anywhere!"

Her hand was holding her sword a little _too_ tightly.

She narrowed her eyes and almost lost her composure at his reply, _Hmph, feminine beauty my arse_ she scathingly mumbled under her breath. She flipped a couple of loose strands of blond hair away from her face with quick wave of her hand and slyly said, "Gentlemanly huh? I could think of other words that best describe you, she scoffed, "though eating at the mess hall sounds like the better option, I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity your _pleasant_ company.

She had to admit even if she hated to, he did have _some_ class, though she hated his flirtatious ways and couldn't care less for his manners.

And his quick search for office supplies became a long lunch! Roy was certain he'd be excused from his paperwork on the grounds that he was assisting a comrade from another base.

The corporal standing behind them was looking more than a bit awed at that point, so Roy sent him off with instructions to ready a car at the front.

"My pleasant company is a thing not to be missed," Roy agreed. "And as well, I wouldn't dare miss the chance to bask in your glow, Major General." Really, she made it too fun. "Let's head to the front. The car should be ready."

Noticing his smug expression, Olivier decided she would not fall for his jibes as much as possible."Stop spewing nonsense, Mustang. Or do you have a death wish?" She threatened with an eerily calm voice.

She strolled beside him, and wondered what was going through that mind of his. _Probably trying to think of ways to best annoy me any way he can._ "So Colonel, are you still as useless as you were in the rain?" A slight smile spread across her lips.

They reached the car that was waiting for them out front and absentmindedly saluted back the officer that waited for them. He held out the door for her to get in, she mouthed a curt thank you and got in.

After a couple of minutes of driving in silence,"where do you plan on taking me? It had better be somewhere expensive otherwise I'm taking the car and leaving you behind."

Ignoring her jibe, he seated himself next to her in the car. "It's a restaurant frequented by high ranking officers," Roy said. "I'm sure it's a luxury you can't even imagine. What is it that you eat in the North, anyway? Bear meat?"

It would, of course, be _very_ expensive, but he was chalking it up as an office expense, not that she needed to know that little detail.

"Ha! A luxury I can't even imagine, you say? Did you forget who I am?" She gloated. "And bear meat would be much better than the possums you'd probably be having in the east."

She turned to look outside the window and leaned against it. Staring at the city landscape passing by as they drove. It had been a long time since she'd last been to Central and she had forgotten how populated it was.

"Central has changed though not for the better, I see. It seems to have deteriorated." Olivier said quietly.

She hoped she didn't have to go to the Armstrong estate in the Central's outskirts later that day. It would be better if her family didn't know she was here. Or else she would have to deal with meets and greets of relatives and family friends which she thought were a nuisance.

She was already missing the North. Central was such a bothersome place.

Roy snorted. As if he could ever forget what family she belonged to! _She_ was the one that wanted to forget. "Between you and your brother, I doubt I'll ever be able to forget who you are," he chuckled.

Central was deteriorating? It was so like her to criticize wherever he was that Roy never really paid her comments any mind, but even he could tell that things weren't as they should be in the heart of Amestris.

The car pulled to a stop outside a towering two-story building. The restaurant upscale, much more so than its neighbors, and Roy could see pedestrians staring at the stop car as the corporal ran from the driver's seat and opened his door for him. With a salute, the man ran over to Olivier's side.

"Fancy enough for you?" he asked, walking around to stand next to her. They were both in uniform, so he knew they'd be given the best service-at no cost to him, of course.

He offered her his arm with a grin, nodding at the corporal standing behind her.

Olivier stepped out of the car after the corporal opened the door for her. She curtly nodded as he saluted her and turned to gaze at the building in front of her. It was huge and stood out among it's surroundings. "Hmm, I suppose it will do." she said in a bored tone.

Moments later she felt Mustang's form beside her and noticed the arm he offered, she looked up and meet his gaze than narrowed her eyes at him. She knew he was only following the proper gentleman's etiquette but after being brought up as the eldest Armstrong and being subjected to the stifling decorum of finishing school and endless different language lessons during her teenage years. She had made an important decision that would change her way of life forever.

No more inhabiting her emotions behind a mask and acting all prim, proper and ladylike. Being a lady took too much effort, and it was not her style. That was why she decided to join the military. To be free to be her own fierce self, and she had excelled at it rather well being one of the very few highest ranking female officers in the military.

She scoffed at him then marched on ahead leaving him standing behind her. _This was going to be a long_ _lunch, _she thought with a sigh.

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Thanks to those who took the time to review, I totally appreciate it and I hope to see more feedback. =)


	3. Chapter 3

Roy snorted, shaking his head as he fell into step with her. How typical for her to take offense at the slightest things. He held the door open for her, just to be difficult, and smiled at her when she scowled. "After you, Major General."

It was easier to be contrary out of sheer spitefulness with her, after all.

The restaurant interior was just as upscale as the exterior, owing much to the patronage of the upper echelon of the military, Roy was certain. Even the waitstaff looked overpaid, if the appearance of smug complacency hanging around every single one of them was anything to go by. Their waiter had just gestured for them to follow when another member of the staff ran out, tapping Roy's shoulder.

"Colonel Mustang?" he asked, heaving a sigh of relief when Roy nodded. "A lieutenant has been calling all over the area looking for you. He says that he has a message."

He? Well, at least he wasn't going to get chewed out by Hawkeye. Gesturing for Olivier to wait for a moment, he followed the man from the main waiting area to a back room, picking up the phone receiver from where it was resting on a desk.

The man on the other end wasn't from his office, wasn't even a name he really recognized, but the man seemed frantic, spouting on and on about some incident just south of Central, in an area that should have been virtually uninhabited.

An explosion, he thought mournfully as he walked back out into the main hall. So much for his lunch.

"Major General," he said, catching her attention. "I'm afraid we're going to have to reschedule. Something has come up that needs my immediate attention." Apparently, anyway.

Olivier raised an eyebrow at the statement he just made. Noticing that he didn't look too pleased about the news he had gotten. She was looking forward to harassing him some more while they ate but now that he had to leave, she didn't want to be left behind in a fancy restaurant all alone. Hmph, so much for lunch.

"Oh no you don't Mustang. You're not leaving me here on my own. I'm coming along with you."  
She stood up from the chair she had sat on while waiting for him and straightened her uniform.

"Come on then, let's move out." She added with a sly grin as she started to head toward the front door.

Roy would have refused, would have demanded she leave him to his work, but she outranked him. That's all there was to it. It was an unfortunate truth that she could order him to do something and, barring contradicting orders from his immediate supervisors, he would be obligated to fulfill her request.

Resisting the juvenile urge to roll his eyes, he pushed her chair in after her and followed her our of the restaurant to where the corporal was waiting at the car. "To the south end," he said to the surprised looking man, then climbed into his seat.

"There's no guarantee that this will be worth your time," he said, glancing at her. "As a matter of fact, it would be preferable if you returned to headquarters, Major General." Not that he was stupid enough to think she would.

"But if you insist... There was an explosion," he explained. "In the southernmost area of Central. There aren't any military bases there, just a few scattered slums. It was probably just a gas leak."

Roy wanted to sulk. He could have been dining in a fancy restaurant, giving his one rival for the fuhrer's seat hell, but no. He had to do _work_. What was the world coming to?

Olivier could clearly see from his tone and way he held himself that her presence on this little excursion was not wanted. She really wasn't interested in Central and it's affairs but she rejoiced in the fact of knowing that her tagging along bothered him and that was probably the main reason she wanted to go.

After they had gotten inside the car, upon hearing his voice. She meet his gaze as he glanced at her and told her that there was no guarantee that it will be worth her time,and that it was better for her to return to headquarters. Her lips formed a slight grin at that comment and she narrowed her eyes as she stared him. _Yes, this was going to be very interesting._

Noticing his disgruntled expression, she couldn't help but let a little laugh.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to get rid of me, Colonel." She replied with an amused tone.  
"And since this little explosion incident that so requires your attention, interrupted our little lunch. I plan on having some sort of amusement to make up for that."  
"Seeing you work on the field should prove to be...stimulating." She added with a smirk.

"Trying to get rid of _you_, Sir?" Roy smiled. "And deprive myself the joy of your company? Surely, you misunderstand my intentions. I merely assumed that you had better things to do with your time than tag along on what's likely to be a ... tiresome and dull mission." God knew Roy didn't want to go, would give anything at that point to be out enjoying himself, even with the ice queen herself. "But I can't deny that my _work_," a slow smirk, "is stimulating. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself."

The power games they always played kept Roy on his toes, and he had to admit that he preferred a non-sparkling Armstrong to a decidedly sparkling one, as fond as he was of Alex.

The scenery whipped past them as the corporal drove them out to the deserted part of Central, the number of civilians they saw out of the window rapidly declining the further they drove. In the distance, a column of smoke was visible against the skyline. The sight of the explosion, Roy figured. A larger explosion than he'd previously thought.

Perhaps the afternoon wouldn't be wasted, after all.

"Are you now? I hope you're right, Colonel" She said with a slight grin. Was she warming up to him? No. That would never happen. But boosting his ego and making him think that his wily charms might have worked on her. Was going to be fun. Besides, she was bored and a little flirting never hurt anyone.

The power games they played were amusing at times, she had to admit. But they were even more fun if she had the upper hand, like she did now. Confusing him into thinking something which really wasn't. Playing with fire per say. She had to be careful, she didn't want to get burned.

As they drove past, she looked up and saw the smoke in the distance. _Hmm, that looks bad. I wonder who could have done such a thing?_ She thought to herself. Central could be interesting after all. It looked like she was finally going to forget about the north, even if it was for just one day.

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Well, it looks like it'll end here since my RP friend and I haven't RP-ed in ages. I'm sorry for those of you, who looked forward to the next chapter.


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